Another week of Bloody Streams is here! And man is it bloody this week. Once again, we've got a few new releases, some classics and a few you may have missed. So sit back, grab a bucket of popcorn and click play.
Macabre (2009/2013)
Macabre: disturbing and horrifying because of involvement with or depiction of death and injury. That pretty much covers it. It could have also been called “Buckets of Blood” or “Bloody Slip-n-Slide” or any number of things. There is so much blood in this movie. So much so that you kind of forget you don’t see most of it until mid-way through. Indonesian duo The Mo Brothers directed this grotesque and thoroughly enjoyable movie back in 2009, but it didn’t get on the map until their awesome segment “Safe Haven” was featured in VHS 2 and people began to search for their other projects. It’s getting an official DVD release sometime in the near future, but Hulu has it available RIGHT NOW! The story is pretty much a foreign House of 1,000 Corpses; a hitchhiker is picked up and when the idiots take her home and go inside, shit hits the fan. It’s got so many more elements than that though. Aspects of Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Yes, a chainsaw makes a few very memorable appearances), Inside, Martyrs, the Hostel series and so many more. Please watch this movie. It’s worth the “First Week Free of Hulu” subscription deal. They're not as giving as Netflix, sorry, but you can always cancel afterwards.
Red State (2011)
The seed for Red State sprouted when the well-known comedic director Kevin Smith was filming his fairly irreverent religious film Dogma in 1999. The fanatics came out in full force voicing their opposition. Picket signs were held, death threats were made and he realized just how much horror can be found in the everyday zealot. Jump forward twelve years, after being denied numerous times by his usual monetary backers, and Kevin decided to finance the film himself. He shot the movie in 25 days, in sequence, with all digital cameras and a special-effects budget of $5,000. He edited the film each night and showed the finished product during the wrap party. What he ended up with is a pretty damn good horror film. Like 2011’s other two excellent cult films Martha Marcy May Marlene and Sound of My Voice, Red State pulls back the curtain on a world that is far too real; a world where the ramblings and lunacy of one man can affect the lives of countless people. That one man in this scenario is played exceptionally well by Michael Parks. (A Tarantino regular: From Dusk ‘til Dawn, Kill Bill, Death Proof, Planet Terror - You'll instantly say, “Oh! That guy!”) He really sells the movie. Look out for some excellent performances and cameos, though. Once again, some of the most unsettling movies have been based in reality and this is a prime example.
Full Tilt Boogie (1997)
I honestly didn’t plan to go from talking about Michael Parks being in From Dusk Til Dawn to talking about a documentary about From Dusk Til Dawn. Alas, such is the way it goes some days. From Dusk Til Dawn is one of my all-time favorite vampire films. It’s got everything you want in an R-Rated horror movie: Violence, Nudity, Harsh Language, Heavy Drinking, Blood, and Unique Kills; the list goes on and on. This feature-length behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film will satisfy those of you out there that love the film as much as I do. You get to see everything from production meetings, off-camera antics, drunken karaoke at small-town bars, union fights, the pyrotechnic-mishaps and even a couple of crazy creature effects that didn't make it into the movie. While I know that it’s not technically a horror film, I enjoy highlighting the love of horror films just as much and I think most of you Deviants do, too.
Day of the Dead (1985)
Because sometimes you just have to revisit (Like a few times a year) a fucking classic. At this point we pretty much all know they're just the same basic premise: introduce the characters, send them to a fortified location where they’ll spend the bulk of the movie until that location ultimately becomes compromised (a house in Night, a mall in Dawn and a bunker in Day) There’s just always been something about Day that has intrigued me and kept me coming back again and again. Maybe it’s the knowledge the characters have that this event is happening world-wide, thus killing any hope they had of being saved. Maybe it’s Bub, one of my favorite horror characters of all-time: the docile zombie the doctors attempt to train into civility. Seriously, the tape player scene is unforgettable. Whatever the reason, it’s my favorite of the series. Enjoy.
Honorable / Dishonorable Mention:
Sharknado (2013)
I refuse to write an official review of this movie. It’s just not my thing. However, I know a lot of people who, for some reason, really enjoy this subset of sci-fi/horror. So, if you're feeling cheesy or brave or took too much Nyquil, click below.
Matt, Signing Out
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